The Butchering Art: Joseph Lister's Quest to Transform the Grisly World of Victorian Medicine

by Lindsey Fitzharris

The Royal Free Hospital was founded by the surgeon William Marsden in 1828 to provide free care (as the name suggested) to those who could not afford medical treatment. While hospitals around Britain catered to the poor, patients were expected to contribute to their room and board. Additionally, inpatient admission was only granted to those who could obtain a letter from the governor or subscribers of the hospital, which was no easy task. In contrast, Marsden believed that “the only passport [to gaining admission] should be poverty and disease.” His decision to erect the Royal Free was motivated by the plight of a dying girl whom he found on the steps of St. Andrew’s Church one evening. Marsden tried to have her admitted to a hospital but failed because she was penniless. A few weeks later, she died.